Tag Archives: Amanda Quick

What better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than by bringing you a fellow female romance author? Today I’m thrilled to have J.L. Lora here, talking all about her writing life and her latest release, Boss.

I hope you grab a good snack or something to sip on and that you relax and enjoy this quick intro to J.L. Lora!

What inspires you to write?

Writing is the way I cope with everything in my head. I hear something in my head, a line, a conversation and that turns into a scene, a chapter and then a story and if I don’t write that, it will continue until I do.

Which type of romance do you love most, and why?

Romantic suspense. I love the idea of love developing in these high pressured situations and the danger stalks every corner and the hero/heroine should be worried about saving their lives but they have to also deal with this explosive attraction neither can fight.

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book:

I learned a little bit about some guns, police procedures, and some medical stuff I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

Name two things people don’t know about you:

When I’m writing and I get stuck, I take two minute showers and that usually does the trick so sometimes I shower like five times a day.

I stopped watching baseball because I get too involved in the game and there’s a lot of screaming and hurling food at the TV.

What fellow romance author do you recommend reading, and why?

We all know the big names like Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I want to recommend my critique partner Cate Tayler’s book Love Me Now which is coming out in May and it’s a beautiful love story about a sassy young woman, a rebellious billionaire, and a pretend engagement.

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

I wish years ago, when I was in college, someone had told me that writing had nothing to do with life experience. That I should go ahead and start writing books but at the same time, I’m one of those firm believers in everything happens at the appropriate time. I’m more prepared mentally now to make the sacrifices I need to for a writing career.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time, and why?

This is a tough one. I have so many different ones and I am one of those people who misses characters so one day I wake up with the need to revisit those characters and have to pick up the book all over again. Yeah, you asked me a question. I can’t pick one, but here are some. Um, let’s see. Jude Deveraux’s Sweet Liar (Swoon!), Nora Robert’s Carolina Moon and Sweet Revenge, Julie Garwood’s Mercy, Amanda Quick’s Mistress, and Sandra Brown’s Mirror Images and Tidings of Great Joy.

Boss is the first in the Trinity Series. It debuted March 6, 2017. It’s a story about love, tragedy, empowerment, friendship and embracing oneself. It all begins with Alec and Carissa…

Determined to avoid the violence that claimed her family and friends, Carissa Elliott flees her hometown with a dangerous plan. She has proof that mafia boss Calum DeMateo killed her father—now she just has to catch him. To do so, she’ll have to transform herself from small-town ingénue to New York mafia queen.

When her path crosses with Alec McLean, the sexy stranger with whom she once shared a steamy nightclub kiss, things take an unexpected turn. Alec heads his family’s criminal organization, the kind of man Carissa should want nothing to do with. But he also has a plan to take down Calum, and the flames that flicker between them are irresistible.

J.L. Lora was born in Dominican Republic and came to the United States just at the age of 13. Her goal in life was always to be a writer. As a child, she told stories to her family and friends and wrote fiction about historic figures. Today, her stories explore the dark side of good characters, people who are backed into corners and how they react to it. She loves strong heroines and their equally powerful love interests. She currently lives in Maryland while pursuing her dream of writing compelling, sexy, can’t-put-down stories about empowered, badass heroines and take-yourbreath-away heroes.

Holy cow, people – I have an editing deadline tomorrow, and have been so buried in my own words, I nearly forgot to put up Writer Wednesday! *collective gasp*

Luckily large amounts of chocolate knocked some sense (or at least some energy) back into me, just in time to bring you fellow Virginia Romance Writer, Ann Alexandra. I’m so delighted she’s here! Romance writers rock, people.

So settle in (with your own chocolate; I’m not sharing mine) to get better acquainted with Ann Alexandra, and hear about her book, Secret Lives, which won Second Place in the 2015 Book Buyers Best Award, and Fourth Place (“Outstanding Novel”) in the 2015 People’s Choice Award!

What inspires you to write?

I have loved reading all of my life. It lets you experience so many different aspects of life that you might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience. And it offers the opportunity of both escape and entertainment. Creating a new story, putting together all the disparate pieces and characters, and producing something that I hope will give the pleasure of reading to others, is so much fun!

Name one interesting thing you learned in researching/writing your last book:

What fascinates me is how the details of the story line develop through the actions of the different characters, as a result of their personalities–what drives them–and how they pursue their individual goals. I set the general storyline, and context/framework, of the novel at the beginning, but I let the specifics of the story evolve through what feels like the natural behavior of the different characters as they try to achieve their objectives. A key, for me, to the evolution of the romance is how each person ‘discovers’ the character/appeal of the other over time. I believe that an abiding love needs to be based on admiration and respect for the qualities of someone, not only on sexual tension.

What fellow romance author do you recommend reading and why?

I love the novels of Jayne Ann Krentz, who also writes historical romance under the name of Amanda Quick. Her leading women are strong, and creative, and fearless. And in the telling of her story, she captures a perfectly appealing evolution of the relationship between the hero and heroine. And her narrative style lets you get lost in the story.

What one piece of advice do you wish you’d had when first starting out?

Today, the primary responsibility for promotion lies with the author, especially if you are Indie publishing your novel, as I did. It would have been great to find guidance on which specific promotion outlets need submission/notification in ADVANCE of publication.

What’s your favorite romance novel of all time?

That’s easy! Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. Austen drew real, and powerful, characters across a broad range of personalities. In telling her story, she reveals how the motivations and foibles of individuals impact, intentionally or not, the lives of those around them. And it’s the story of an abiding love that survived the many jostling and disruptive effects of family and friends, and some of the shallow strictures of society. I never tire of re-reading it!

Ace negotiator Jillian Harper can’t understand why she’s been shipped off to Miami for a cultural convention, just as hemisphere-wide negotiations to fight drug trafficking reach a critical climax. The mystery deepens when her quaint taxi driver delivers her–not to the hotel where the convention will be held–but to the estate of prominent financier Blake Crawford. It takes all her diplomatic skills–and courage–to navigate the tumultuous events that follow when Blake introduces Jillian as his fiancée, announcing they will be married in ten days. Jillian, knowing she has never met Blake, soon learns that the “Secret Lives” of others, including Blake, will determine if she lives or dies–and to live, she must embrace a secret life of her own. As she navigates these uncharted waters, can Jillian survive an earth-shattering betrayal of trust–and the discovery of a deep, and powerful, love that may ask her to sacrifice her own life to protect the man she loves?

Born and raised in Boston, Ann Alexandra has been a long-time resident of Northern Virginia. She loves animals, in general, and dotes on her four cats. She loves music, and all related activities such as dancing and singing. Most importantly, she is passionate about reading. “Growing up, I made weekly visits to the city library. I believe I read, over the years, just about every mystery and romance–as well as many of the classics–on the shelves of what was a rather large public library!” she explained. “My mother introduced me to the joys of reading–she would tell me how, growing up during the height of the Depression, she could explore the world and embark on all kinds of adventures—just by opening a book!” Ms. Alexandra dedicated her first novel, Secret Lives, to her Mother, ‘In Loving Memory’, whom she describes as her “best friend” for all of her life.

Ann Alexandra received her Bachelor’s Degree, summa cum laude, inPolitical Science, and a Master’s Degree in International Relations. She worked in the Legislative side of government at both the state and federal levels, researching and writing analyses of laws and government programs. She is a member of RWA, VRW, VWC, The Writer’s Center, and Write by the Rails.

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